Rare meningitis cases up to 26 in 5 states, 4 die

Oct. 3, 2012

Written by

A sign on the door to the New England Compounding Center requests no soliciting at the Framingham, Mass. company, Wednesday Oct. 3, 2012. An outbreak of a rare and deadly form of meningitis has now sickened 26 people in five states who received steroid injections mostly for back pain, health officials said Wednesday. The Food and Drug Administration identified the maker of the steroid as New England Compounding Center, a specialty pharmacy. (AP Photo/Bob Salsberg) / AP

More

ADVERTISEMENT

Tennessee’s outbreak of a rare form of fungal meningitis has evolved into a national health crisis that has sickened 26 people, killing four of them, in five states after they received spinal injections with contaminated medicine.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration identified New England Compounding Center - which already had a record of violations - as the probable source.

“FDA is working with several state health departments and the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy on this issue and is still investigating the scope and cause of the outbreak of fungal meningitis,” said Erica V. Jefferson, acting deputy director for the FDA Office of Public Affairs.

“What I can say is that on Sept. 26, New England Compounding Center conducted a voluntary recall of 3 lots of Methylprednisolone (PF) 80mg/ml Injection produced at NECC.”